Summer is around the corner, which means people are getting ready to shed their winter garb and expose their skin to the elements. In the forecast are sunny beaches, tanning beds, and outdoor activity. In preparation for the seasonal changes, May is Melanoma & Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and healthcare advocates are taking to Twitter to remind people to take basic precautions and check their skin. It’s also a great reminder for clinicians to talk to their patients about summer skincare and their risk factors for skin cancer.
Folks are posting some great tips and resources for clinicians to share with their patients.
Check out more facts on sunscreen to talk about with your patients during #SkinCancerAwarenessMonth and all summer long. Learn how best to explain how much to apply and alternatives for patients wary to use oxybenzone. pic.twitter.com/vnuHIVFWCC
— DERM (@DermCME) May 17, 2018
NCI’s Moles to Melanoma Tool shows changes in skin lesions over time: https://t.co/VyOo4ZbY1k #skincancerawarenessmonth @NCIEpiTraining pic.twitter.com/Tdahff7cmC
— National Cancer Institute (@theNCI) May 8, 2018
Tomorrow is #DontFryDay18 Here are some tips to stay #sunAware everyday! @SkinCancerOrg @Childrenmelanom @skincancerprev #SkinCancerAwarenessMonth #melanoma #dermatology #dontfryday #dontfrydecade pic.twitter.com/KCTpAnQdRq
— WDS (@WomensDerm) May 24, 2018
This #SkinCancerAwarenessMonth, check your skin for new or changing spots. Use these tips for a #skincancer self-exam: https://t.co/HLkZvkJF2q #skincancerhero pic.twitter.com/ncyCvLlxop pic.twitter.com/ZYdx3XisGS
— AAD (@AADskin) May 16, 2018
Clinicians are debunking some common skin cancer myths.
I spoke with @DohenyKathleen about common Skin Cancer Myths and Mistakes http://t.co/l7rajgqu4k #SkinCancerAwarenessMonth #SPF #sunsafety
— Dr. Elizabeth Hale (@dermdrhale) May 7, 2015
Odds are you probably aren't wearing enough sunscreen. ONE OUNCE, the size of a full shot glass, to cover you head to toe for a single application. #skincancerawarenessmonth #wednesdaywisdom
— DuPage Medical Group (@DuPageMedGroup) May 23, 2018
Advocates are emphasizing lower-risk groups who often get overlooked, such as people with darker skin…
People of all skin colors get #skincancer, but when it’s diagnosed in skin of color, it’s often in a late stage. Follow these tips for prevention and detection: https://t.co/SRJlyZ4J2k #SkinCancerAwarenessMonth pic.twitter.com/8YHfDUAxxz
— AAD (@AADskin) May 14, 2018
…as well as highlighting high risk groups identified in recent studies, including outdoor workers and people who use tanning beds. The latter is fueling a rise in skin cancer among young Caucasian women.
With temperatures set to rise this week everyone needs to be careful when working outdoors, no matter what your skin tone is. #SkinCancerAwarenessMonth Download our leaflet on Safe Skin – Working in the Sun here https://t.co/2of2aIkmys pic.twitter.com/Mr9hTRoSZ3
— HSENI (@Hsenigov) May 22, 2018
Using tanning beds is associated with a subsequent #melanoma diagnosis. https://t.co/lXZHgYE4nN #SkinCancerAwarenessMonth pic.twitter.com/5beKmxPW5c
— JAAD Journals (@JAADjournals) May 21, 2018
The American Academy of Dermatology is also addressing the unique concerns of children and their parents.
It only takes one blistering sunburn during childhood or adolescence to nearly double a person’s chance of developing #melanoma later in life. Protect your infant with these tips: https://t.co/69IcCobTLL #SkinCancerAwarenessMonth pic.twitter.com/UJewY4mcAT
— AAD (@AADskin) May 18, 2018
The AAD recommends SPF 30 or higher for children ages 6 months and older. Be sure to protect yourself and your family every time you are outside. https://t.co/Tl86mVaEfj #SkinCancerAwarenessMonth
— AAD (@AADskin) May 22, 2018
Even pathologists are joining the discussion.
Melanoma on #CytoPath, two views. Avoid this in YOUR biopsies:
— Sara Jiang, MD (@Sara_Jiang) May 7, 2018
wear sunblock
Use hats or______rashguards
_don’t go to tanning __beds#MelanomaMonday #SkinCancerAwarenessMonth pic.twitter.com/H3jEG6Z8fL
#Melanoma, with lymphovascular invasion. #dermpath #pathology #dermatology #skincancerawarenessmonth pic.twitter.com/TLdeHyWXR2
— Joseph Willman (@JHW806) May 18, 2015
Skin cancer survivors are sharing their personal stories…
Summer is here, warm weather and sunshine.
— Susan Perri __ (@Perri4health) May 24, 2018
I'm a stage 3 melanoma cancer survivor.
This cancer took me completely by surprise.
Please Twitter friends protect your skin from the sun this summer. #Melanoma #SkinCancerAwarenessMonth
"I wish I could tell 16-year-old me to never start tanning," says #SkinCancer survivor Mallory. Read her story: https://t.co/TkN2gJZNH5 #SkinCancerAwarenessMonth pic.twitter.com/LPS8sgBSGY
— CDC Cancer (@CDC_Cancer) May 1, 2018
…and researchers are sharing the innovations that will save future patients.
May is National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month. In this episode, Dr. Eric Whitman discusses an exciting new study using immunotherapy to fight #cancer. How are you staying protected? https://t.co/9PqNK9XiiS #SkinCancerAwarenessMonth #cancerawareness pic.twitter.com/T58DFWh43p
— Atlantic Health (@AtlanticHealth) May 22, 2018
“Immunotherapy has had great successes, but we’re looking for ways to make it effective for more people.” More on how an Immunotherapy-Chemo combination is aiming to knock out #Melanoma. #SkinCancerAwarenessMonth #MelanomaMonday https://t.co/DhRDNmAmum
— Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (@sloan_kettering) May 7, 2018
Despite being highly preventable and treatable when caught early, skin cancer is the most common of cancers. Melanoma, the deadliest of the bunch, has been called the “disease that gives cancer a bad name.” Be sure to talk to your patients and remind them to get an annual skin check.
Do you have a story about skin cancer? Do you have other tips and resources for colleagues or patients? Let us know in the comments below.
